L-R: Dr. Alex Ampaabeng, Dr. Okoe Boye, Ms Julie Essiam, and Emmanuel Ohene
In a deliberate action to ensure the clearance of essential health commodities funded by the Global Fund, the Minister of Health, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, has met with the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to streamline the clearance process at the Tema Port.
This comes after a statement issued by the Ministry of Health confirmed the receipt of GHC 7,429,694.39 from the Ministry of Finance for the payment of demurrage and other third-party charges to ensure the clearance of all outstanding Global Fund containers.
The Ministry of Health emphasized the importance of this funding in its recent statement, stating, "It is expected that with the funds received, all outstanding containers will be cleared by the end of June 2024."
However, in an interview with the media during a project inspection visit to the La General Hospital and Weija Children’s Hospital (both under construction), Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye intimated he was taking a personal interest in the matter and would not rest until the goods were cleared.
In pursuit of that, a meeting with the Ministry of Finance and the GRA on Friday, June 14, resolved that the clearance would be expedited to ensure the delivery of these life-saving medications, medical equipment, and other essential health commodities, making them readily available to safeguard public health.
This move demonstrates the commitment of the minister to improving healthcare delivery and ensuring timely access to vital health supplies.
